<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>No Choice In Love by Alidravana</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30109212">No Choice In Love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alidravana/pseuds/Alidravana'>Alidravana</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Hurts Like Hell [13]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>SEAL Team (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bisexual Pride, Coming Out, F/M, FebuWhump2021, Identity Reveal, M/M, alt4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 11:33:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,551</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30109212</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alidravana/pseuds/Alidravana</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Alt 4 (Identity Reveal) for FebuWhump 2021.  Takes place sometime between Interrupted and Things Unseen.</p><p>"Hey, are you ready to go in?" Trent asked Clay.  Clay's hands were still gripping the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white as he looked ahead at Ray's house.  It was the first team BBQ of the summer.  Trent and Clay had gone back and forth so many times about how they were going to come out to the team.  They both agreed that it couldn't be as Bravo 4 and 6, that their workplace had to be kept completely professional. And that ruled out the Bulkhead as well, since it was the team's and other military members' main bar.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Scott Carter/Original Female Character, Trent Sawyer/Clay Spenser</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Hurts Like Hell [13]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2140548</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>No Choice In Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hey, are you ready to go in?" Trent asked Clay.  Clay's hands were still gripping the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white as he looked ahead at Ray's house.  It was the first team BBQ of the summer.  Trent and Clay had gone back and forth so many times about how they were going to come out to the team.  They both agreed that it couldn't be as Bravo 4 and 6, that their workplace had to be kept completely professional. And that ruled out the Bulkhead as well, since it was the team's and other military members' main bar.  </p><p>Clay nodded, finally taking his hands off the steering wheel.  "Just a bit nervous," Clay admitted, turning to face Trent.  Jason had said to bring his boyfriend to the next BBQ, but Clay didn’t think he expected the boyfriend to be a member of Bravo.  He was hoping that the team would be supportive, but at the same time, this was a big change to the team’s operations.  While he and Trent had been already working together as a couple for over a year on the same team, no one else was aware of their relationship - except for Full Metal of course.</p><p>"Well when you think about it, probably half the team knows already," Trent rationalized.  He held up his hand and started counting.  "Lisa knows, so Sonny might as well...Full Metal knows...and the rest of the team including Blackburn knows that you have a boyfriend…”</p><p>"Well, we better get going in or the dessert is going to melt," Clay said, interrupting Trent’s count.  He realized that Trent was trying to reassure him, but it wasn’t really helping.  Jumping out of the truck, he grabbed the cheesecake carefully.  Trent grabbed the case of beer that they also brought and the two headed for the door.  </p><p>Clay startled slightly when Trent placed his arm around his waist at the door but then remembered that they came to the gathering as a couple.  Naima was the first one to the door and she had a huge smile on her face when she noticed that the two of them had come together.  "Welcome, you two!" She said with a smile, and then kissed each of them on the cheek.  </p><p>"Hi Naima," Clay replied, and then stepped into the house.  "Do you think you have room in the fridge for this cheesecake?  It should probably stay chilled until dessert time.”</p><p>Naima nodded and took the cheesecake from Clay.  "Where did you get it from?  This looks delicious!"  </p><p>"I made it actually, under direct supervision from Trent’s mom," Clay said, trying to reassure Naima that it was safe to eat.  “Apparently this is the ‘Sawyer’ famous chocolate chip cheesecake, never to be left out from a BBQ.”</p><p>“I know it’s scary to think of eating food that Clay’s made,” Trent added, popping his head into the kitchen.  “But my mom is a great teacher.”  He smiled, glad that his mom and his partner had been getting along so well.  “Ready to say hi to the guys, Clay?” Trent asked, concerned that his partner was having second thoughts.</p><p>Clay nodded.  Taking a deep breath, he reached over and took Trent’s hand that was being offered.  Reassured by the squeeze of his hand and smile on Trent’s face, Clay headed out of the kitchen, Trent right behind him.  </p><p> </p><p>XXXXX</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, look who finally made it!” Emma said loudly, as Trent and Clay came into the backyard.  She ran over to give Clay a big hug, grinning widely as she noticed that the two of them were holding hands.  </p><p>Clay let go of Trent’s hand and returned the hug, glad to see Emma back to her normal self.  The two had been chatting back and forth since Emma had gone back to school after the incident; just keeping each other up to date and checking in on each other.  He hoped it helped a bit.  </p><p>“Now remember, Emma, that Clay is too old for you,” Jason said, coming over to the group with a smile, his arm wrapped around Natalie.  “So Clay, did you bring your date with you?” Jason asked, taking a look around the yard for someone he didn’t recognize.</p><p>Emma looked at Clay, rolling her eyes at her dad’s obliviousness.  She wondered how he was going to handle the situation.  And then, all of a sudden, Trent started to chuckle.  Then his chuckle turned into a full blown laugh.  Emma couldn’t help but join in, laughing along at her dad’s lack of perception.  Jason just looked at the two of them awkwardly, wondering what he missed.  </p><p>Finally, Trent stopped laughing, seeing the slightly concerned look on Clay’s face.  “Sorry guys, that was just too funny,” he said, wrapping his arm around Clay’s waist.  “You okay, babe?” He directed at Clay but was still watching out of the corner of his eye for Jason’s reaction.  He could see the moment that everything clicked in Jason’s mind.  </p><p>Clay just nodded, unable to find his voice.  He leaned into Trent, slightly embarrassed at Trent calling him babe in front of their team leader but glad that he didn’t decide to kiss him or something similar to get the point across.  </p><p>“How long have you two been together?” Natalie asked, noticing that Jason was taking too long to respond.  She had noticed right away that Trent and Clay were holding hands when they came into the back yard.  For a trained SEAL, Jason could be awfully slow at certain things.</p><p>Clay looked at Trent, calculating the time in his head.  “It’s been about a year and a half, right T?”  </p><p>Trent nodded, smiling at the sight of Full Metal and Max coming over to join the conversation.  “Hey Metal,” Trent greeted his best friend, letting go of Clay for a brief moment to clap a hand on his friend’s back but then quickly re-grabbed Clay’s hand, making sure that Clay wasn’t going to run off on him.  </p><p>Clay jumped as Full Metal’s hand thumped down on his shoulder.  “Glad to see you two here together,” Full Metal said honestly.  “Did you two break Jason?” He said with a chuckle, as he took a swig of his beer, his arm wrapped loosely around Max’s waist.</p><p>“You’re kidding me, right?” Jason asked, looking back and forth between Clay and Trent.  “This is a joke?  You haven’t actually been operating on the same team, on Bravo team while fucking around and playing house this whole time?”  Jason’s loud voice echoed across the backyard, causing everyone’s head to turn towards the small group.  Emma's mouth dropped open to defend her friend to her father, but was quickly ushered away by Natalie and Max before she could get more than a disgruntled "dad" out. This was a Bravo conversation and as much as the other women also wanted to stick up for the two men, Jason wouldn't be listening to them right now.</p><p>Trent took a small step towards Jason, subconsciously standing slightly in front of Clay.  He could feel the tremble in Clay’s hand, knowing that his partner feared this type of reaction.  Pointing his finger at Jason’s chest, Trent tried to gather his thoughts but was interrupted by Full Metal.</p><p>“Jason, that’s bullshit,” Full Metal replied, also taking a step forward towards the past team leader.  “Now, I’ve never said anything about how you run your team, but you are no longer Bravo 1.  Trent and Clay have been together for a while now and you never knew.  None of the team knew and it didn’t affect the team negatively at all,” he added, motioning around at the team.  Sonny, Ray, and Brock all nodded in agreement,  The news was a surprise to them as well, but Trent and Clay were always reliable team members.  </p><p>Jason paused, looking around at the team.  Then he glanced at the two in question.  Trent was still standing defensively in front of Clay, glaring at him with that disappointed look of his.  Jason had been on the end of looks like that from Trent while receiving medical assistance for injuries that he might not have always been up front about.  And Clay just looked sad.  Jason came to the realization that this was not helping the team - that he was not helping the team.  Nodding at Full Metal, Jason stepped away from the group and went into the house to cool off.</p><p>Slightly stunned by Full Metal and the rest of the team - minus Jason of course - standing up for them, Trent stood silently, not knowing what to say.  But then Lisa came over with a fresh round of cold beer for everyone and the silence was broken.  Handshakes, hugs, and congratulations were given by the rest of the team, along with some light hearted teasing, including Sonny asking Trent if he’d ever borrow one of his nicknames for Clay in the bedroom.</p><p>With a deep blush at that thought, Trent glanced over at his partner, who was grinning and hugging Lisa, thanking her for the beer and support.  Seeing that smile on Clay’s face made him fall in love even more.  Scott was right, Jason was no longer Bravo 1.  This was the Bravo team, right here, and their acceptance was all that mattered.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>